New York _ The Cliff Lee story continued to unfold Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. So far, it's been a real page-turner.

Lee threw seven scoreless innings and out-pitched Chien-Ming Wang as the Indians beat the Yankees, 3-0, to win the season series against New York.

Lee (6-0, 0.81 ERA) allowed six hits and struck out seven in helping hand Wang (6-1, 3.11) his first loss of the season. Lee has allowed four earned runs and two walks in 44 2/3 innings this season.

"Cliff's focus from pitch-to-pitch this year has been great," said manager Eric Wedge before the game. "The key has been his ability to control his fastball. That sets up everything else."

Lee, 3-3 lifetime against the Yankees, has struck out 39 in six starts this year.

Wang, who allowed three runs on five hits in seven innings, has been tough on the AL Central. He's 17-2 in his career with the Indians accounting for both losses.

"He's been as good as anybody in the game this year," said Wedge, referring to Wang. "Over the last three or four years, he's been as consistent as a starter can be."

The Indians scored single runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings for the victory. They lead the season series, 4-2, with the last regular season game between the two teams being played Thursday.

Rafael Perez and Rafael Betancourt completed the seven-hitter. Perez pitched a scoreless eighth to give him 5 1/3 scoreless innings against the Yankees this year. Betancourt earned his fourth save, and second in as many days, in the ninth.

Perez, including last year, has allowed one run in 12 1/3 innings against the Yankees. That includes the AL Division Series when he held them to one run in six innings.

.One at a time: The Indians built a 3-0 lead after six innings Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium with single runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings. Victor Martinez scored Grady Sizemore with a sacrifice fly to right field in the first. Sizemore drew a leadoff walk, went to second on Ben Francisco's single and took third on David Dellucci's fielder's choice. Casey Blake singled home Jhonny Peralta to make it 2-0 in the fourth and Dellucci's two-out single in the fifth made it 3-0.

Tough luck: Dellucci lost a base hit in the first when he blooped a single to right. Francisco, on first base, had to stop midway between first and second in case Bobby Abreu caught it. When Abreu played it on the hop, Francisco was dead meat at second, thus turning the hit into a fielder's choice.

In the groove: Lefty Cliff Lee held the Yankees to five hits through six scoreless innings. Lee had six strikeouts. The Yankees threatened in the fifth and sixth. Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano hit consecutive singles with one out in the fifth. Lee struck out Morgan Ensberg and retired Jose Molina on a fly ball to the track in right. In the sixth, Shelley Duncan's double past third put runners on second and third with two out. Lee struck out Hideki Matsui with a 76 mph curveball to end the inning.

Different story: The last time Chien-Ming Wang faced the Indians, he threw seven scoreless innings and beat C.C. Sabathia, 1-0, on April 27 at Progressive Field. Through six innings Wednesday, the Indians scored three runs on five hits against Wang.

Hit machine: Andy Marte ended an 0-for-14 slump with a single in the fifth. He scored from second on Dellucci's single to center for a 3-0 lead.

Follow Us

cleveland.com is powered by Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Northeast Ohio Media Group. All rights reserved (About Us).The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Northeast Ohio Media Group LLC.